Soap holder



prfi 7, F. G. IENSSLE 2,936,204

SOAP HOLDER Original Filed April 16, 1934 2 INVENTOR FEED G. ENSJLE A TTORNEYS Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 16, 1934, Serial No. 720,711 Renewed December 11, 1934 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to a soap holder.

Dishes and similar receptacles i'or soap now widely used in connection with sinks, basins and other washing and/or cleansing equipment usualiy consist of shallow concaved members. These dish-like members tend to collect water, which softens and dissolves the soap placed therein between washing periods, wasting the soap and also transforms the soap so that it does not enable it to be used most satisfactorily for cleansing purposes.

In addition, the surfaces of these dishes will tend to become coated with partly dissolved soap, which will make the receptacle slippery and render it particularly difficult to grasp the same to remove such soap therefrom. Where drainage openings or holes are provided in these dish containers, they usually become clogged with the softened soap, so that satisfactory drainage will not be obtained.

An object of the present invention is to provide a soap receptacle and container of inexpensive, light-weight and substantially indestructible construction, and of good appearance which will be self-draining, which will assure that the soap will not lay in a pool of water, which will permit the soap to be readily clasped and removed and which may be applied in any suitable manner about a household sink or wash basin.

Other objects will appear during the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found most convenient to provide a pocket formed of two downwardly converging separable side members supported on pivotal members at their upper ends.

These side members are preferably provided with a resilient means which may take the form of a leaf or flat spring, which resilient means will assure that the receptacle will be closed when the soap is placed therein with ready drainage.

The soap may be readily removed from the receptacle by pressure downwardly upon it, whereupon the two side walls of the pocket will be separated.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of the receptacle.

Fig. 2 is a front view taken in the direction indicated in Fig. 1 upon a slightly enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a top view in fragmentary section taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. i is a fragmentary side sectional view upon the lines l-fl of Figs. 1 and 3, and

Fig. 5 is a top view of a modification upon a slightly reduced scale showing a pivotal construction of the soap container.

Fig. 5a is a fragmentary view of another modification upon an enlarged scale.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the pocket or receptacle is formed of two side plate or pocket members II] which are provided with the vertical grooves ll permitting ready drainage. The upper ends of the plates are curled over as indicated at 12 to receive the pivotal mounting rods i3 and the front ends of the plates are provided with the outwardly turned flanges it.

The lower edges of the plates iii are provided with the lips it, which incline upwardly from the rear of the receptacle. The rear of the receptacle is provided with the inturned back or rear wall members it which are provided with the registering recesses Ill adjacent the top portion thereof to receive the flat spring it.

The flat spring l8 and the pivot bars it are mounted upon the base or support I 9, which may be screwed, as indicated at in Fig. l on a suitable place on the wall.

As shown in Fig. 3, bars may be formed oi? a single rod of metal and the rear portion ii may be conveniently received as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in a groove it, extending diametrically and horizontally across the mounting member it. The rear end of the hat spring i0 is provided with the curved portion it which fits around the lower portion of the rod 2 i.

The spring member i8 is also provided with the recess M, as shown best in Figs. 3 and i, which recess it receives the inwardly projecting fingers it at the upper sides of the rear plate members iii. The spring in presses upwardly on the flanges and holds the side plates it of the pocket in position. These side plates ii) are usually assembled with the pivot rods i3 by slipping the curved portions ii! over the pivot rods until the fingers 25 snap into position in the recess it in the flat spring it.

When the receptacle is utilized, the soap may be positioned therein, as indicated at 26 in Fig. 2. and it will be held in position by reason of convergence of the side walls ill, the closure of the back walls l6, and the contact oi! the forwardly and upwardly extending lips l5 at the bottom of the side walls in.

When it is desired to remove the soap from the receptacle the soap 25 is pressed down by the hand inserted in between the converging walls l0 and this will cause a pivotal movement and wedging apart of the walls I0. When this is done, the fingers 25 will press down upon the flat spring i8 and depress said spring. As soon as the soap has been removed past the lips ii the two side walls ill will immediately snap together, closing the pocket again. The leaf spring tends to raise up immediately and presses up on the fingers 25.

The contact between the edges of the side wall members It and between the lips ii at the bottom of the converging sides ID will always be sufliciently loose to permit ready drainage and how oi the liquid or fluid out of the pocket formed by these walls and the pocket is of such shape as to permit ready flow of air therethrough and ready drying of the cake of soap.

At the same time, the cake of soap may be readily grasped by the hand of the user.

The container shown is of artistic construction and may be made of enamelled sheet metal so as to present the most desirable appearance about the bathroom or kitchen.

In Fig. Sis shown a slight modification in which similarly functioning parts are indicated by the same numerals as in Figs. 1 to 3 which are primed.

In this construction, the rear rod member 2| of the pivot bars l3 fit into a sleeve 21, which sleeve carries the spring member l8. The rear end of the sleeve is provided with a vertical tubular element 29 which fits upon the pivot rod 28, with which pivot rod connection it is possible to turn the receptacle readily from one position to the other, as indicated at 30-30 in Fig. 5 so that the soap may be readily removed from the receptacle by the right or by the left hand, substantially regardless of the exact position of the soap user.

In Fig. 5a is shown another modification-in which similarly functioning parts are indicated by the same numerals as in Figs. 1 to 3 provided with a superior By this construction the top of the guard is bent over and such bent over portions engage in the groove of the spring. This simplifies assembly and dismantling of the device, and it also gives an entirely smooth surface on the trays which will not scrape the soap and catch or tend to abrade the fingers.

What is claimed is:

1. A soap receptacle comprising a mounting member adapted to be attached to a wall, a double pivotal bar formed of a single rod of metal having the rear portion fitted upon said mount and having two horizontally forwardly extending pivotal mount portions, downwardly and inwardly converging side plate members being provided at their upper portions with rounded portions to be received on said rods and at their lower edges being provided with lips which contact with each other when the container is in closed condition, said side members beingprovlded with inwardly directed rear portions which are providedwith a recess adjacent their upper end. a resilient flat spring member extending forwardly from the mounting element to within the recess, said spring being provided with an indentation to receive said plate members.

2. A soap receptacle comprising a mounting member adapted to be attached to a wall, a double pivotal bar formed of a single rod of metal having the rear portion fitted upon said mount and having two horizontally forwardly extending pivotal mount portions, downwardly and inwardly converging side plate members being provided at their upper portions with circular portions to be received on said rods and at their lower edges being provided with lips which contact with each other when the container is in closed condition, said side members being provided with inwardly directed rear portions, a resilient means extendaoaaaoe ing forwardly from the mounting element to cooperate with said rear portions, said resilient means being provided with means acting on said rear portions to close said lips.

3. A soap receptacle comprising a mounting member adapted to be attached to a wall, a double pivotal bar formed of a single rod of metal having the rear portion fitted upon said mount and having two horizontally forwardly extending pivotal mount portions, downwardly and inwardly converging side members being provided at their upper portions with rounded portions to be received on said rods and at their lower edges being provided with lips which contact with each other when the container is in closed condition. and resilient means to hold said side members in closed position.

4. A soap receptacle comprising a mounting member, downwardly converging separable side members connected to said mounting member, said side members being provided with inwardly directed rear portions which are provided with a recess adjacent their upper end, a resilient fiat spring member extending forwardly from the mounting element to within the recess, said spring being provided with an indentation to receive said plate members.

5. A soap receptacle comprising a mounting member adapted to be attached to a wall, a pivotal support connected upon said mounting member and having two horizontally forwardly extending pivotal mount portions, downwardly and inwardly converging side members being provided at their upper portions with circular portions to be received on said pivotal mount portions, and resilient means extending from said mounting member to hold said side members in closed position.

6. A soap receptacle device comprising a mounting member, a leaf spring member connected thereto, two downwardly converging separable side receiving members, said members when separated depressing said leaf spring and said leaf spring normally holding said members in close contact with each other.

7. A soap receptacle comprising a mounting member adapted to be attached to a wall, pivotal mount portions connected to said mounting member, downwardly and inwardly converging separable side members swingably connected at their upper portions to said pivotal mount portions, and a resilient flat spring member extending forwardly from the mounting element to press said side members together.

8. A soap receptacle including a mount, a U- member, the base of which is attached to said mount, the legs of which extend forwardly, two downwardly converging side members pivotally mounted on said legs and resilient means also attached to said mount for pressing said side members together.

9. A soap receptacle including a downwardly converging wedge shaped compartment, the side walls of which are separably closed together, and the rear wall of which is connected to said side walls, the top and front of said compartment being open. a mount and pivotal and resilient elements extending from said mount, said elements respectively permitting separation and causing closure of said side walls.

' FRED G. ENSBLE. 

